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Pad Krapow Moo (Thai Basil Stir-Fry)

Name: Pad Krapow Moo (Thai Basil Stir-Fry)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground pork; 2 cups holy basil leaves; 8 cloves garlic; 6 Thai bird chilies; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 3 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 3 tbsp oil; 4 fried eggs (optional); 4 servings jasmine rice

Pad Krapow Moo (Thai Basil Stir-Fry) reads umami 7.7, funk & ferment 6.0 and salinity 6.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 9.4 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.5 / 10
Sour & Bright — 1.3 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 0.8 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 5.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.7 · Funk & Ferment 6.0 · Salinity 6.0 · Richness 4.8 · Marine & Briny 4.7 · Heat 4.4 · Herbaceous 4.4 · Sweetness 4.2 · Allium 3.7 · Floral 1.9 · Fruity 1.2 · Sourness 1.0 · Citrus 1.0 · Warm Spice 0.8 · Nutty 0.8 · Bitterness 0.7 · Earthy 0.6

What's in it (11)

1.5 lbs ground pork
2 cups holy basil leaves
8 cloves garlic
6 Thai bird chilies
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp oil
4 fried eggs (optional)
4 servings jasmine rice

Time & effort: about 20 min (15 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 145.3 kcal, 9 g protein, 8.3 g fat, 9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

Pound garlic and chilies coarsely in a mortar.
Stir-fry in a screaming-hot wok until golden, add ground meat and cook until browned.
Season with fish sauce, oyster sauce, and a pinch of sugar, add a splash of water for sauce, then toss in holy basil and stir until wilted.
Serve over rice topped with a crispy fried egg.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) — Thai
Thai Basil Ground Beef Stir-Fry (Pad Kra Pao Neua) — Thai
Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) — Thai
Thai Basil Pork (Pad Kra Pao Moo) — Thai
Thai Basil Shrimp (Pad Kra Pao Goong) — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, funk & ferment, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.